Inside Asian Gaming

IAG MAY 2022年5月 亞博匯 88 INDUSTRY PROFILE Phuket. I met my wife in Phuket and from there wemoved around Indonesia, the Philippines and back to Bangkok. I worked in Bangkok for about seven years for Dusit International, which is really the most iconic Thai hotel brand, and then I was asked if I would be interested in opening Sheraton Macao as Managing Director. That was in 2008, and to open a hotel with 4,000-plus rooms was very intriguing so I took the job. But the global economic crisis hit in 2009 putting construction on ice and I was offered a couple of transfer options, so I choose to go with the family to Libya. I worked in North Africa for one year and we had a fantastic family time. Career-wise it was also very interesting. Then I was offered a job to come back to Macau in 2010 with Shun Tak, before Artyzen was born. I was COO for hospitality for a number of hotels under Shun Tak’s wings – Macao Tower and MGCC – and during that time Artyzen was created and I moved from that position to Artyzen Grand Lapa. The management contract with Mandarin Oriental was coming to an end and we needed to take over. We immediately started managing the hotel, came up with a renovation plan and the concept for the hotel, and that’s where we are today. OG: How does a Dutch national come to chair the FMCC? RV: The France Macao Business Association (FMBA), as it was known at the time, was holding its meetings at Macao Tower, and Ms Pansy Ho was its Honorary Chairman. There was